Beer keg and dispensing mechanism



Fb 25, 93@ H. H, LUCKER 2,032,024

BEER KEG AND DIS'PENSING MECHANISM.

Filed June l, 1954 Patented Feb. 25, 1936 1miflflaznv srfr es PATENT oFFlclszv T Vv'032,024

f: BEERA FKEG ANB. EDISPE'NSING MECHANISM Hubert`H.Lucker, Detroit; Mich. fApprlcationtJuhe TI[','-`1934,1 Sel'ittlA N01S728,585

l, 6 Claims.

Y`This:invention :relates to :newf and :useful improvements: in kegs fandmeans'employed for dispensing they contents'of' the saine.

Al'he primary fobj ect of rthis inventionisto"=prov f5- vide a `beer :keg :which willfmeet-'with'r all-the Government' lrequirements imposed Vonwsuch articles.

A1iurtheraimporta-nt:object of the-invention is tofrprovide abe'er'- kegv :having means for/'Acon-V 10' trollably dispensingl the contents of the same with means for receiving a revenue stamp which will prevent= the' actuation ofi ltlie-l beer-f-.dispensing mechanism without' eie'cting cancellation -or `perforation offsaidfstamp.

A further-object of f thev invention is ftofprovide a 'beer' keg having Idispensing'- means which includes a Ivalve operating handle'andadispensing spout with means for sealing 'or-restraining .movement of thef said .handle la-ndspo-utl against-unau- 2'() thorized'use.

vOther obj ects v4'and' advantages 'of` the invention will'ibe'apparentfduring' the -cours'e'of the follow' ing description.

In the accompanying drawing"forrningapart of fthis specification fand in which likev numerals are employed to designate-*like parts' throughout thefsame, l

Figure l-is 'a top 'plan' View Iofy a lbe'er 'kegwith the improved=dispensing=mechanism `embodying gbl this invention'operatively associatedtherewith,

'Y Fig; 2is' a-vertcal lsectional view :taken -on=line 2'-'2 'of Fig. 1,

r"figlV 3 -is *a -verticalesectional 'view taken online 3 3`of'Fig.-1, and Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken online 4--41A of' Fig. 1.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral 5 designates in its entirety the side wall portion of a beer keg which is made of any suitable metal and has its ends closed by dished or cupped heads, also formed of metal. To properly disclose this invention, it has only been necessary to illustrate one of the cupped or dlshed heads and this is designated by the reference character 6. A suitable connection is provided between the wall 5 of the keg and the head 6, such as by welding at 1. The base or bottom wall 8 of the head 6 has suitably connected thereto a check valve structure 9 which may take the form of an ordinary tire valve and is employed for permitting air to be compressed in the keg to place the contents of the latter under pressure. Fig. 1 discloses a bung hole IIJ which is adapted to have driven therein a suitable wooden plug or bung II.

(Cl. V22,5-1)

A`handle,=o1set= with respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe keg issecured to the bottom surface or wall f8 of the head. This handle is `formed of strap material and includes the intermediate, rolled grip portion I2 andthe fiat securing feet I3 Figs. 2 to 4 inclusivefdisclose the bottom 8 of thehead ashaving an internally threaded aperture I 4 formed therein to which is lthreadedly connected a valve casing I5. This casing is formed with an innervchamber I6 'which'is a1- ways in 'communication with theA interior 'ofthe keg; through the hollow^-base portion' I5 of the valve casing. -Separated 4from the chamber "I6 by-a partition I'l is a second-chamber I8 which is elongated to provide a branch I8 extending into a v'sternelike mounting I9 which is formed integral with the casing. 'A valve port 20 is formed in the partition IIand'is provided'with a conical seating surface to be engaged by the valve 2l. This 4valveis formed with a'stem 22 which terminates in a head 23 formed in a pocket 24 which'opens through the top-surface 25 of the valve lleasing. A spring 26 encircles the valve stem 2| and engages at its opposite ends the inner'face of the valve stem head 23 and the bottom wall of thepocket 24. This spring functions to'retain the valve 2l on its seat.

`The valve casing is formed with a shelf-like enlargement 2T. One surface 28 of this enlargement is coextensive 'with the top surface 25 of the main' portion' of thel valve body and these two surfaces 25'and 28 are designed to have secured thereto arevenue stamp 29. It'will be notedthat this stamp will close or bridge the mouth of the pocket 24 which receives the valve stem head 23. It will be impossible to operate the valve, by depressing the head, without first canceling or perforating the revenue stamp 29.

Projecting laterally from one side of the main body of the valve casing is an apertured ear 30 which has pivoted thereto the bifurcated end 3l of an L-shaped operating handle 32. This handle is formed with a protuberance or projection 33 which will register with the open end of the pocket 24 when the handle is moved into the valve operating position as shown by dash lines in Fig. 2 and full lines in Fig. 3. This protuberance or projection 33 will cooperate with the edge of the pocket 24 to shear or cut out a portion of the stamp 29 which will correspond in size and shape with the pocket 24.

The stem-like mounting I9 has a tapered outer surface which is adapted to have pivoted thereto the hollow hub 34 of a discharge nozzle 35. The

bore of this hollow hub 34 communicates with the chamber extension I8 of the valve casing through the port 35 so that the nozzle will always be in communication with the chamber extension I8' during all positions of the nozzle.

Fig. 1 discloses the nozzle 35 and the valve operating handle 32 in their inoperative positions in contact with the bottom wall 8 of the head 6 of the keg. When in these inoperative positions, the valve handle and the nozzle may be restrained against movement into operative positions by a wire 36 which is passed through the apertures of three ears 31 and has its ends connected by; a seal 38. This wire and the seal will prevent unauthorized or undetected use of the nozzleY and valve operating handle. Fig. 3 discloses the nozzle 35 arranged in its operative position with the extremity of the same projecting beyond the side wall of the head 6. By inspecting Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that when the valve handle 32 and the nozzle 35 are arranged in their inoperativeV positions, no portion of the dispensing mechanism will project beyond or above the upper edge of the head 6. f

For the purpose of conducting the beer from the interior of the keg to the inner chamber l of the valve casing, a tube 39aextends into the keg and should terminate adjacent the opposite head of the keg. The connection between this stem 39 and the valve casing l5 is provided by the enlarged head 40 of the stem which tightly fits in the bore of the threaded stem of the valve casing. It is to be understood that -the yform of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as va preferred example ofv the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the. scope of the subjoined claims. y

Having thus described the invention, I claim: l. In a device of the type described, a keg, said keg having an opening, a valve casing mounted in said opening, a spring-pressed valvein the casing having an actuating stem terminating substantially at the surface cf the casing, said casing surface being of sufiicient size to permit a revenue stamp to be applied vthereto so as to cover the end of the valve stem, and a valve actuator pivotally connected to the casing and constructed and arranged to cancel or perforate the stamp when brought to bear against the valve stem. y

2. A device of the type described comprisingv a keg having an opening in oneend thereof, a valve casing mounted in said opening, said casing hav-` said surface, a valve mounted in the casing and having an actuating stem terminating in said pocket, and a valve actuator pivotally mountedY vin'ounted on the casing and having a valve stem engaging projection adapted to cooperate with the edge of said surface pocket to perforate the revenue stamp prior to contacting with the valve stem.

4. A device of the type described comprising a keg having an opening, a valve casing mounted in said opening, a spring-pressed'valve in the casing having an actuated stem terminating at one surface of the casing, an angularvalve' operating handle pivotally connected to the casing and having a projection adapted'to engage theV valve stem to actuate the valve, said valve actuating arm being adapted to be `moved into aninoperative position against arwall of the keg, and

means for retaining the said arm in its inopera tive position.

5. A device of the type described comprising a, keg having a dished head, dispensing mechanism mounted on said head and terminating at its outer end inwardly of the outer edge of said head, y

a spring-pressed valve mounted in the valve casing and having an actuated stem terminating at the top surface of `the valvecasing, a Ivalve ac.- tuating'arm of angular formation pivoted to the casing and movable between an inoperative position-extending laterally of the valve casing and an operative position overlying the valve casing, and means for retaining the actuating arm in its inoperative position. Y f

Y6. Al device of the type described comprising a keg having an opening, a valve casing mounted in said opening, a valve in said casing, avalve operating arm pivotally mounted on the casing, adischarge nozzle pivotally connected to the casing, said valve operating arm and said nozzle beingmovable into positions in engagement with the keg, and means for receiving a wire 'and seal positioned to retain the saidy arm and nozzle in said latter positions against unauthorized movement. Y

HUBERT H. LUCKER. 

